On Track GLIMPSES from the NORWEGIAN NATIONAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIVITIES in 2013
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On track GLIMPSES FROM THE NORWEGIAN NATIONAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIVITIES IN 2013 The railways are developing fast Norwegian railways have rarely moved as fast as they are right now: Passengers are flocking on board, construction is at an all-time high and the trains are on schedule. "The really big lift comes with the InterCity development, which is in full swing". Contents EDITORIAL Editorial 3 Train traffic 4 04 Winning the fight against time 4 Maintenance and renewals 6 Battle against man-made waterways 6 Groundbreaking 10 A good year for the railway Those who move mountains 10 Tunnel project on rails 12 The railway achieved a number of great results throughout 2013. The most impressive Revolutionary double track 14 development was the growth in passenger traffic, which increased for the country as Arna–Bergen 15 a whole by more than seven percent compared with the previous year. The world looks to Follo 16 Records along Mjøsa 18 06 he largest increase was An additional lift in the north 19 seen in eastern Norway, Projects around the country 19 where the effect of the new T route model introduced in December 2012 really took The future 20 effect. The goal for passenger train InterCity: A planning job for the ages 20 punctuality was also achieved and ended up at 90.6 percent. How “the new railway” will be managed 22 The transport needs associated with More for the money 24 the population growth in and around the large cities must be solved through More trains for the people 24 investments in public transport. This is Working flat-out 27 one of the main points in the national transport plan (NTP) for the period 24 2014-2023, which was considered by Safety and the environment 28 parliament in June 2013. In line with Safe and environmentally friendly 28 this goal, Jernbaneverket is committed to facilitating even more trains being From daily ice cutting to permanent protection 29 put into operation, particularly in conditions with subsequent floods and an extensive streamlining programme A lion never steps on the track 30 eastern Norway. The work on several landslides. The Dovre line has been the during 2013. After large parts of the new stabling and turning facilities most exposed stretch and had to be organisation provided input for the A landscape gardener for 4,000 kilometres of railway 31 continued in 2013 in preparation closed for several weeks to make way improvement activities early in the Follo line documents its greenhouse gas emissions 31 for more trains when the clock-face for repair works following the damage. year, work has been undertaken to scheduling model is supplemented Such closures pose difficult challenges develop simpler and smarter working from December 2014. to the goods traffic that has lost out on processes and to establish a more The year in brief 32 market shares to road traffic. The work streamlined organisation with simple Jernbaneverket then and now 34 The really big lift comes in the wake of on making the infrastructure more reporting lines. The new organisation the InterCity development, which is the resilient through increased invest- came into force on 1 April 2014. This highest priority project in the national ments in maintenance and renewal will ensure that we are well equipped transport plan. The development is in will therefore have the highest priority to handle demanding tasks for the full swing and there has been excellent going forward. railway in the future. progress in the ongoing projects Issued by: Jernbaneverket, Oslo, June 2014 during 2013. Jernbaneverket gears up. To ensure Print run: 300 that as much as possible of the fund- Layout and design: REDINK The greatest challenges for Jernbane- ing available to Jernbaneverket is Front page photo: Hilde Lillejord verket during the year have been utilised for measures on the tracks, Other photographers: Hilde Lillejord and Øystein Grue as well as associated with more extreme weather Jernbaneverket has been working on Director General Bernt-Erik Hansen, Dag Svinsås, Freddy S. Fagerheim, Håkon Mosvold Larsen/Scanpix, Jarle Foss, Inge Hjertaas and Lars Frøystein Printing/production: RK Grafisk 2 | ON TRACK ON TRACK | 3 Research brings results Train traffic 24/7 contingency Winning the fight What the researchers did Experts from SINTEF went out with stop- watches to determine what measures could against time be implemented on the platforms. For the second year in a row the railway has reached What Jernbaneverket did the punctuality goal of 90 percent. This has required When the funding ar- both science and passenger education. rived, Jernbaneverket was quick to implement essen- tial renewals. The results he major investment in where the train would stop each time could quickly be seen. renewals, maintenance and where the doors would then be The 24/7 contingency and contingency is the located. At those locations the platforms was increased and the T biggest reason for reach- were marked using letters that could also crew can now come out ing the punctuality goal be found on the information panels. In much more quickly than in 2013. Another contributing factor is good time before the train arrived, it was before when problems the excellent collaboration between clear that the quiet carriage would stop occur. Jernbaneverket and the train companies at A, passengers with buggies would Through a major NSB and Flytoget. Both independently have to board the train at C and so on. research programme, and together we have attempted to In short, the project was a success. specific methodology identify every minor element that could When SINTEF arrived with their stop- has been developed to contribute to more punctual trains - watches again, the stop at the station establish the real reason including some passenger education. clocked in at significantly less time than why certain trains are Punctual trains sound simple in before the measures were implemented. particularly at risk of theory. This is not the case in practice. becoming delayed. This ensures that measures can During rush hour all it takes is a bit of The Oslo project. The renewal of the be implemented at the rain at Skøyen. The stop at the station Oslo hub in recent years is the most of the overall punctuality not being The Director General of is the most exotic part of this contin- establish the real reason why certain that is often delayed can check the correct stage. takes longer than the timetable allows important contribution to improved even better in 2013 was the flood Jernbaneverket, Elisabeth gency. In winter, when the weather trains are particularly at risk of becom- departures at their station via "Se for, as passengers need to fold their punctuality, as interruptions here can affecting the Dovre line on 23 May. Enger, and Head of Customer indicates that there will be trouble ing delayed. punktlighet for mitt tog" at www. and Traffic Information, Victor umbrellas before boarding the train! rapidly affect numerous trains. In the space of just a few hours there ahead, the "lump patrol" will be ready The methodology is based on jernbaneverket.no (left column). What passengers were Hansen, agree that the letter In areas where the trains line up, like was the same amount of precipita- marking on the platform has at the tunnel opening when the train where trains are frequently delayed. encouraged to do through the Oslo tunnel, all of the "When SINTEF arrived tion as would normally be the case in resulted in great time savings. arrives. The chances are high that snow By moving backwards through the Me. Another important reason why Being on time … trains have to drive at exactly the same two months in North Gudbrandsdal. Both research and the con- and ice will have melted sufficiently production chain, the real cause can trains have become delayed is me. An important reason for with their stopwatches trains previously being speed during rush hour and have the The 100-year old railway body was tingency improvements have inside the tunnel for large lumps to fall be identified. It could be a weakness That is, the me that rushes in at the contributed to the success. delayed was passengers exact same stop duration at stations to again, the stop at the unprepared and the damage was so off at the first switch. If a lump of ice in the timetable, damage to the track last minute and who is used to being who arrived late but were prevent traffic issues from arising. Of station clocked in extensive that the stretch will not be settles between the switch blade and which takes time to repair or it could lucky enough that the conductor still admitted. The conduc- the 884 scheduled trains entering Oslo at significantly less fully restored before sometime in 2014. the rail, the next train will not be given be difficult to move the locomotive/ holds up the train and waits for me tors are no longer quite Central station every day, 706 of them the green light. The lump patrol is engine car from the workshop to the to board. But kind conductors and as nice. have to pass through the tunnel. time than before the Increased contingency. When water tasked with removing the lumps of ice departure station. me being late is a poor combination. collects along the track or a signal as soon as possible. When the cause can be described it In this respect, Flytoget has been When it rains, fold your measures were im- umbrella up as early as Stopwatches at the ready. NSB asked system stops working, the overhead line can also be solved. The PIMS metho- strict for quite some time.